UofC: Where is your "compassion for an elderly man and his dog?"

Below is a letter emailed today to The University of Chicago by a new friend of mine, Kimberly Muhammad.

Your comments are welcome.

Thank you, Sid

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From: Kimberly Muhammad
Date: Sun, Jul 11, 2021 at 1:13 AM
Subject: Injustice in the Age the of Covid-19 Pandemic
To: James Mcconnell - Associate Vice President for Facilities <jmcconnell@uchicago.edu>, Paul Rand - Vice President for Communications <prand@uchicago.edu>, John D'Angelo - Assistant Vice President, Facilities Services <dangeloj@uchicago.edu>, Ka Yee C Lee - Provost <provost@uchicago.edu>

Our world changed drastically in 2020 with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and collectively there was absolutely nothing we could do about it. No doubt, some things will never be normal again and there is still a threat of the Delta variant looming around the corner. I don't have to preach to the choir about the negative impact that the pandemic has had on education at the elementary, secondary, and higher education levels. I have taught at all three levels,
have a son who is a tenured professor, and two grandchildren, presently are attending two universities.

Using a cliche, sums it up best, "We just had to roll with the punches." As we adjusted to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines and were forced to adhere to the rules and regulations at both the city and state levels, the only thing that we had control over was the compassion that we showed our families, loved ones, pets, neighbors, each other and yes, even strangers. The pandemic brought about, the closure of schools, jobs, essential businesses, work stoppages , moratoriums on travel, surgeries, rent payments, repayment of student loans and housing evictions, etc. During these tumultuous times, deaths, hospitalizations, mental illness, violence, suicides, and poverty increased.

Please let this email serve as my expression and disdain for the harsh and cruel way that I personally feel about the way UChicago treated Sid Colton and his dog Liddie with his sudden eviction from his humble abode before he could return to work. Sid is a graduate and a long-time employee of UChicago. He has a spirited soul, is humble, kind and filled with compassion long before Covid-19. I don't know the specifics of the sudden eviction, but I know it is bureaucratic by nature and goes against the grain of moratoriums on evictions during Covid-19. Additionally, he wasn't given a chance to return to work to be eligible to return to faculty housing.

As the positivity rate goes down, I know the economy must open back up and some form of normalcy must return. It should not however mean that
compassion is thrown to the wind. Enough is enough and God doesn't put more on a person than they can bear. I would like to inquire about the following:
Was proper notice and time given to vacate the premises issued
Were any moving or relocation assistance offered
Were there any funds available to help defray moving expenses
Did anyone of you who this email is addressed recognize Sid's service
Was any compassion shown
As, the Vice President for Facilities and Communications and Assistant Vice President for Facilities Service and the Provost for UChicago, I ask you where your compassion for an elderly man and his dog is?

Thank you in advance for your response.
Dr. Kimberly Muhammad"